Telephone support



A. J. BALKINS TELEPHONE SUPPORT Aug. 14, 1945.

Filed May 24,. 1943 INVENTOR. .fgmarz ffiaMzj/w, fiibrrz 6Q Patented Aug. 14, 1 945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TELEPHONE surron'r Almon J. Balkins, Alhambra, Calif. Application May 24, 1943, Serial No. 488,131

1 Claim. (Cl. 179-157) My invention relates to improvements in telephone supports of that type commonly known as a portable hand set composed of the usual transmitter and receiver.

It is difllcult, for a person using a hand set to write, refer to notes, turn a leaf or perform other acts, due to the necessity of using one hand to hold the telephone instrument in place for use. Various devices have been produced for holding the telephone instrument so that both hands of the user are left free, butsuch devices have been too costly, too complicated, inefllcient, r impracticable for general use. The primary object of my invention therefore is to overcome previous objections and to produce a simple and effective device which will perform the functions desired and provide a practical holder of its kind which is easily applied to the usual telephone hand set, which when applied will not slip out of place, and which is simple and inexpensive in, construction, and which overcomes substantially all previous objections. To these ends my invention comprises the features of construction which are hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing fonning part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved holder; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of my improved holder; Fig. 3 is an elevation looking at the back of the holder; Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing my improved holder applied to a telephone set, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a telephone set equipped with my improved holder and particularly illustrating the position assumed by the holder corresponding with the shoulder scapula of the user.

' 'The combination telephone set to which my improved holder is applicable, comprises the usual handle IO, having the transmitter ii on its lower end and a receiver I! on its upper end. whereby the unit can be held by one hand, with the receiver and transmitter juxtaposed respectively to the ear and mouth of the user in the usual man- 1 her. Such an instrument usually requires the use of one hand, since it isso formed that t is practically impossible to hold it between th ear and shoulder and thereby leave both hands free. I

It is therefore the primary object of my invention to provide means by which the instrument can be clamped firmly between the shoulder and ear of the user" without the useof either hand. Attempts have been made to overcome prior objections but with only partial success due to the instrument slipping or being ineflectively disposed on the shoulder below the scapula of the user. The human anatomy is provided with what is termed the shoulder scapula which is a bone protuberance in the shoulder and I have found that by providing a holder on the telephone'with a transverse concavity forming a pair. of longitudinally spaced shoulders to fit over and engage the scapula portion of the shoulder that the. telephone set can then be held firmly, without difhculty, by the head of the user, thus leaving both hands free.

The usual telephone set is also formed with a gooseneck IS, in proximity to the receiver at the upper end of the handle element; with whichlI have. applied my improved holder A, to provide a firm engagement by the instrument which prevents the holder from moving or slipping out-of place on the handle Ill.

My improved holder comprises a body or pillar block A, which forms a rest, the'inner portion of which is made to fit the back portions of the various forms of the hand telephone set. As shown the body has an inner surface I! conforming with the contour of the handle. The upper portion of the inner surface conforms with the gooseneck l3 and the head portion H of the receiver l2. l The inner surface is also formed with an inwardly projecting longitudinal shoulder portion I! which enters the recess I8 in the gooseneck of the handle element to provide a firmengagement longitudinally and prevent slipping. The opposite longitudinal sides or skirts I! of the body A taper outwardly and fit snugly over the sides of the gooseneck and head I 4 to prevent lateral twisting movement of the body on the neck. In this position the body is held securely on the gooseneck and head by an encircling elastic band 20 (see Fig. 4) which engages the body A in the channel 2 l and the crutch in the goose neck. The holder projects backwardly and is sufficiently broad as shown in Fig. 3 to provide a stability ,base on the shoulder of the user. It is of sufficient width at its head end to embrace the head or receiver portion H .of the handle Ill and tapei's rearwardly until meeting-the surface of said handle. In this manner the holder or pillar block isnot objectionable as an appendage on the telephone set. A transverse outer channel 2! is provided between the upper and lower ends of the body. This channel is disposed so as to fit over and engage the shoulder scapula portion 22 (see Fig. 5), when the instrument is pressed down on the shoulder by the head of the user. By engaging the shoulder scapula portion and by forming the holder with a broad stability back the telephone instrument can beheld firmly on the shoulder of the user to prevent slipping. It is contemplated that the body may be made out pressed fiber, plastic material, wood, metal or any other suitable material desired.

My improved telephone holder can be easily applied to a telephone hand set and when ap-,

plied provides an eiiective holder whereby the telephone instrument can be used while both hands are tree.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the construction thereof which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the constructionshown is only illused on the back of said goose neck having a longitudinal concave channel conforming with the contour of the goose neck and forming a pair or skirts tapering downwardly over the sides oi the goose neck and a longitudinal shoulder extending from the floor between the ends of the channel and engaging the Boose neck in said transverse valley to assist in holding the support longitudinally on the goose neck, said pillar block being comparatively wide at its forward end to embrace the receiver portion of the hand piece and tapering rearwardly to gradually meet the surface of the body portion 01; the hand piece, the back of said pillar block having a transverse channel vbetween its ends substantially conforming with the scapula portion of the shoulder of the user whereby the hand telephone set may be retained by the downward pressure of the head of the user between the ear and shoulder and with the transmitter in position for use, and resilient means embracing the pillar block in said transverse channel and the hand piece of the telephone set in the crutch of the goose neck for normally retaining the pillar block engaged on the hand piece.

- ALMON J. BALKINS. 

